Guarantor And Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries (Schedule Of Consolidated Statement Of Cash Flows) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Jan. 26, 2013	Jan. 28, 2012
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	$ 59,490	$ 127,051
Proceeds from sale of subsidiary	0	(215)
Purchases of property and equipment	(18,486)	(17,556)
Net cash acquired (paid) in connection with acquisition	(44,629)	0
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(63,115)	(17,771)
Proceeds from senior unsecured notes	296,250	0
Payment of principal related to the term loan	0	(70,000)
Payment of principal related to capital leases	(484)	(456)
Common stock repurchases	(47,530)	0
Proceeds from issuance of common stock	23,812	31,941
Excess tax benefits (detriments) from stock-based compensation	2,192	1,147
Increase in restricted cash	(300,000)	0
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(25,760)	(37,368)
Effect of exchange rate fluctuations on cash and cash equivalents	(225)	(1,875)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(29,610)	70,037
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	713,226	414,202
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	683,616	484,239
Brocade Communications Systems, Inc.
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	12,204	116,939
Proceeds from sale of subsidiary		(215)
Purchases of property and equipment	(17,532)	(15,241)
Net cash acquired (paid) in connection with acquisition	(44,769)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(62,301)	(15,456)
Proceeds from senior unsecured notes	296,250
Payment of principal related to the term loan		(70,000)
Payment of principal related to capital leases	(484)	(456)
Common stock repurchases	(47,530)
Proceeds from issuance of common stock	23,812	31,941
Excess tax benefits (detriments) from stock-based compensation	2,192	1,147
Increase in restricted cash	(300,000)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(25,760)	(37,368)
Effect of exchange rate fluctuations on cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(75,857)	64,115
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	284,466	101,366
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	208,609	165,481
Subsidiary Guarantors
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	2,496	(113)
Proceeds from sale of subsidiary		0
Purchases of property and equipment	(23)	0
Net cash acquired (paid) in connection with acquisition	140
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	117	0
Proceeds from senior unsecured notes	0
Payment of principal related to the term loan		0
Payment of principal related to capital leases	0	0
Common stock repurchases	0
Proceeds from issuance of common stock	0	0
Excess tax benefits (detriments) from stock-based compensation	0	0
Increase in restricted cash	0
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	0	0
Effect of exchange rate fluctuations on cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	2,613	(113)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	680	1,528
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	3,293	1,415
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	44,790	10,225
Proceeds from sale of subsidiary		0
Purchases of property and equipment	(931)	(2,315)
Net cash acquired (paid) in connection with acquisition	0
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(931)	(2,315)
Proceeds from senior unsecured notes	0
Payment of principal related to the term loan		0
Payment of principal related to capital leases	0	0
Common stock repurchases	0
Proceeds from issuance of common stock	0	0
Excess tax benefits (detriments) from stock-based compensation	0	0
Increase in restricted cash	0
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	0	0
Effect of exchange rate fluctuations on cash and cash equivalents	(225)	(1,875)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	43,634	6,035
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	428,080	311,308
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	471,714	317,343
Consolidating Adjustments
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	0	0
Proceeds from sale of subsidiary		0
Purchases of property and equipment	0	0
Net cash acquired (paid) in connection with acquisition	0
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	0	0
Proceeds from senior unsecured notes	0
Payment of principal related to the term loan		0
Payment of principal related to capital leases	0	0
Common stock repurchases	0
Proceeds from issuance of common stock	0	0
Excess tax benefits (detriments) from stock-based compensation	0	0
Increase in restricted cash	0
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	0	0
Effect of exchange rate fluctuations on cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	$ 0	$ 0